The Gourmet Mama

Photo by thebusybrain

You can hardly have summer without chowing down on a hotdog at least once, especially if you have children.  But most of us don’t really enjoy the cardboard tasting buns, bland wieners and ketchup that make up the regular hotdog. So how do we make that summer favorite into a gourmet treat that kids and adults alike will love and come back for seconds and thirds?

First, you want to start with the wiener itself. Try and choose a higher quality meat rather than the regular bulk ones. Find a package that says “100% beef” to make sure that you aren’t getting any mystery meats in there. When you do find a wiener that you like, then you want to grill it rather than boil it. Grilling gives it more of a smoked taste and fills them with a lot more flavor.

As for the bun, try and find some good buns at your local bakery instead of the highly processed ones that you get in the grocery store. I like to get whole wheat buns for a bit of extra fibre and flavor. Cut them in half and spread them with just a little bit of butter and toast them open faced in the oven or on the grill.

Now what you need is condiments and toppings that truely make this a gourmet hotdog! Here are a few suggestions that you can pick and choose from to find a hotdog that is truely a perfect summer meal.

Dijon mustard

carmalized onions

chopped bacon

sprouts

Terriaki sauce

Wasabi Mayo (1/2 cup mayonaise mixed with 1/2 teaspoon wasabi paste)

Chopped dill pickle

Blue Cheese

Grated cheese

Grated Ginger root (sounds wierd but is really quite tasty)

chopped red and green peppers

Ground black pepper

Diced pineapple

The possibilities are endless so play around with different flavors until you find one that suites you. Of course the little ones usually just like plain ketchup on their dogs but at least they will have a gourmet bun right?

Getting tired of plain old PB and J? Already tried to spice things up by adding banana slices? It`s time to move on to some fun, amazing sandwich spreads that are easy to whip up and will have your family and friends quite impressed with your cooking talents . . . even if you really don`t have any.

Jolly Green Giant Spread

If you want a chunky, yet healthy sandwich spread, this one is perfect. My husband and kids love it . . . to the point of eating any leftovers without the bread!

1 can sweet corn niblets (or you can cook and strip yours from the cob)

2 cups chard or spinach, chopped

3 T. mayonnaise

2 tomatoes, chopped fine

1 clove of garlic, minced

Milk

In a frying pan, pour a drizzle of oil and add the garlic and chopped chard. Cook over medium heat, moving with a wooden spoon constantly until the chard gets dark green and wilted. Let it cool for a few seconds, then dump into the blender along with the mayonnaise and a splash of milk.

Blend the mixture on high until it is smooth, adding more milk if you feel it is necessary.

In a bowl, toss your corn and tomato together. Pour the chard sauce over the veggies and stir well. Chill until cool and then spread on bread and serve as open faced sandwiches. Makes about 1.5 cups and can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Cream Cheese Olive Spread

A yummy spread that your kids or any olive lover will enjoy on a crusty piece of bread.

1 package cream cheese (8 oz.)

1/4 c. mayonnaise

2 T. olive brine

1 cup olives, minced (black, green or a mixture)

Beat the cream cheese, mayonnaise and brine with an electric mixer until well blended. Stir in olives and serve. You can add a little minced garlic, as well, if you like.

Super Easy Pesto Spread

Who doesn`t love the taste of pesto on spaghetti? Well, guess what? It makes a GREAT sandwich spread, too!

3 cloves of garlic

2 cups packed basil leaves (substitute any other fresh herb for a unique flavor)

2/3 cup olive oil

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Put all ingredients, except the olive oil, into the food processor and start it. Add the olive oil by pouring a steady stream into the food processor tube until you have a nice thick paste. If the consistency is still too thick, try adding a very small amount of water to thin it out so you can spread it.

This spread can also be frozen in small chunks (ice cube trays work well) and then thawed in the microwave as needed.

Have your own special sandwich spread to share? Go for it . . . the comments are open!